Counting device



' UNITED STATES Patented October 18, 1904.

'PATENT OFFICE.

COUNTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,371, dated October 18, 1904.

Application filed May 5, 1904. Serial No. 206,434. (No model.) i

To all whmn it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLEs F. PIDGIN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efi ective method and means for counting by units or otherwise items or quantities or values, 8:0. This form of invention, as shown on the drawings, is more especially adapted to be used in. cooperation with an apparatus suitable for classifying, counting, and tabulating statistics as, for example, the one for which Letters Patent No. 719,365 were granted to me on January 2-7, 1903; but as an independent apparatus it may be used to equally as good advantage' A single apparatus'capable of counting or adding up to nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine is shown; but a series of any number of apparati may be included to cooperate with each other in tabulating more than one class of items. For instance, supposing there are six counting devices inclosed in a casing, each one may be designated .by card to represent the class of items or quantities it is to represent, such as Houses, Adults, Children, Churches, Protestants, and L4 Catholics.

On the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 shows a portion of a casing supposed to contain a plurality of counting devices, of which one is shown in front elevation. Fig. 2 shows the counting mechanism detached from its casing. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the linet 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the holder in which the classification-card is adapted to be slipped. Fig. 6 is a bottom edge view of said holder.

As previously stated, the counting device is shown as adapted for use in connection with other apparatus; but it is in no wise affected by the casing in which it is installed.

Referring to the drawings, a suitable casing is indicated at 10. It is provided with as many compartments 11 as there are counting devices. These compartments 11 are separated by partitions 12, which are secured in a vertical position to the top and bottom of the casing 10.

The counting device'is. in the form of a box 1 13 and is adapted to be removably secured between the vertical walls of a compartment by the action of a spring 14:. A plate 15 constitutes the front face of the box 13 and is provided with a plurality of zigzag horizontal slots 16, arranged in a vertical column. The formation of each slot is such that ten notches 160, representing the digits from zero to nine, are provided in one (preferably the upper) edge of said slot, and teeth 161 project downwardly, thus separating said notches. This formation provides teeth 162, projecting upwardly from the lower edge of said slot and registering with the notches 160. An indicator 17, whose function is to indicate one of the numbered notches 160, projects through each slot 16. Said indicator is shown as formed of wire, having on its outer end a suitable bend which constitutes a finger-piece and on its inner end a bend encircling an upright post 18, secured in fixtures attached to the inner face of the rear wall of the box 13. Said indicator is adapted to be swung laterally in the slot 16, but owing to the formation of said slot must necessarily describe a zigzag course.

Referring to the teeth 161, it will be seen that they are shaped like those of a ratchet and are pitched toward the left. Each one therefore presents a perpendicular face as an abutment at the right of each notch 160 and a beveled face extending to the notch at the right. The teeth 162, however, are substantially symmetrical, having a beveled face on each side. By reason of this formation it will be seen thatan indicator 17 in advancing from left to right can do so only to the extent of one tooth at a time, but in returning from right to left is merely deflected by a series of beveled faces.

Each indicator 17 is provided with a spring 19, which is shown'as coiled about the post 18. One end of said spring is hooked around the shank of the indicator, while the other end bears against the wall of the box '13. The tendency of said spring is to press the indicator to the right and slightly upward into any one of the notches 160.

The length of the indicators is shown as graduated from a short one at the top to a if the indicators were of the same length.

In this embodiment of the invention are shown four slots 16, which, reading from bottom to top, represent units, tens, hundreds, and thousands, respectively, though the number of slots may be increased indefinitely to suit requirements.

The following will show how numbers may be added to a sum already indicated by the device: Assuming that the device registers the sum of 1357, the uppermost indicator must occupy the notch numbered 1 in its respective slot. The indicator in the slot below that will occupy the notch numbered 3. The next indicator will occupy the notch numbered 5 and the lowest indicator the notch 7.

Now if it is desired to add "705 to the 1357 already indicated the operator mentally calculates the sum of the units to be twelve and presses the unit-indicator toward the left against the pressure of the spring 19 until it is in the 2 notch. This leaves a ten to be carried forward in addition to the tens indicated in the numeral 705. As there are none there, the operator registers the one ten by depressing the respective indicator below the next tooth of the face-plate and quickly releasing it. The exertion of the spring 19 is thus allowed to move the indicator to the right and upward into the 6 notch. The next step -namely, that of adding seven hundreds to the three already indicatedis the same as the first step. The operator moves the hundreds-indicator back to the zero-notch and carries forward the one thousand, adding it to the one thousand al ready indicated by depressing the uppermost indicator, the same as was the casein adding the tens.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the process of adding is extremely simple as well with large as with small num bers. By reversing the process described the device can be as readily utilized for subtraction as for addition.

A removable holder 20 is provided for the reception of a'classification-card. Said holder is shown as having on its front face two plates 21, between which and the holder may be inserted a card indicating the items, values, or quantities of which the tally is to be kept. The holder is adapted to be inserted between the two perpendiculars of a compartment 11 and is held by a spring 22, which is attached to one edge of said holder and which presses against one of the perpendiculars.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although Without attem pting to set forth all of the forms in which it may bemade or all of the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim is 1. A counting device comprising a serrated slot, an indicator projecting through said slot, and a spring adapted to coact with said indicator in such manner that when said indicator is pressed out of one serration and released, it will be moved to and retained in the serration next in advance.

2. A counting device comprising a plurality of slots having both sides serrated, and a movable indicator for each slot, adapted to indicate the serration necessary in effecting the reading, each slot having its sides arranged to imparta Zigzag movement to the indicator when moving lengthwise of the slot, numerals being employed adjacent to the slots to designate the locations of the indicators.

3. A counting device comprising a slot of which one face is formed with a series of ratchet-teeth and the opposing face is formed with a series of substantially symmetrical beveled teeth which register with and project slightly into the notches between said ratchetteeth, and an indicator adapted to slide in the zigzag path formed by said series of teeth.

4. A counting device comprising an indicator adapted to travel in a zigzag slot so formed that said indicator, in traveling in one direction, engages positive abutments on said slot, but when traveling in the opposite direction engages deflectors only, which do not interrupt the movement of said indicator.

5. A counting device comprising a plurality of serrated slots arranged in perpendicular alinement, and an indicator adapted to cooperate with each slot, each indicator projecting beyond the end of the indicator next above.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIDGIN. 

